The Dillon tribune., 1887-12-02
4 Do0K WORMS DEN.
.t,-eR PEOPLE WHO HAVE A
~ ..u, FOR OLD VOLUMES.

Hobb1e'
Eare i'ok''
.,. ,,o4,. one Of the most confirmed
rms in the city CT New Aork,'
e"A ~ clerk in big Broadway book store
80 ..per day as an old man with a be-
~ ..a,sn looking face and long White hair
N'Vl,' ,,,, of the store with two very old
ga,s'. ,orv valuable books under his arm.
s,s aus nc, bore look Of contenlment and
~ WED to be satisfied with himself
III the world watched him until
sAI Aoa,1el ~ a Broadway car and sat down
a,o,t over his latest possessions. The
:rrt was fascinating: and | gazed at the
w.. ~, asappearing car until the voice of
-, dark called me back from q mental
+son Of old musty shel:cs filled with
,,ar and muster books, whose bindings
.;,,p IN, has frnged and scalloped with a gem
,ro,s hand.
,,ot worm. isn't it:'' said the clerk.
vn Won hear people call each other book
,orn,s m simply because they are always
sa,ing. but they are not true, musty
Mailing book worms. What are they:
Thot.s the genuine article Well. I'll
WI ron. 4 genuine book worm is u man
!. r;o,nan (Which latter is rarely the case)
-ho pocs to Il book store once or twice IL
,raak without knowing just what he
rants. He has no definite iuc;, of buying
s,vthiny. but before he knows, ii lie has
.m Or two good books. They come to see
,nything new has been received: if so.
.nl il is Interesting, they buy it. and
,eyer object to the price. AS Il rule they
.rp men past middle age, but there arc
some Young men who are studying for a
sroiession. but they usually buy only
,hose books which treat Of the profession,
they are studying. Then we have some
SECTORS and lawyers who are confirmed
hpk worms. Altogethe: ! think there
sre about $50 book worms in New York,
and about eighty OF them are regular Gus
toners Of OURS
A strange fact in connections with book
worms, the clerk said, was that they very
seldom visited the public libraries. They
think that if {; book is interesting enough
10 read it is intcrcstir'; enough to buy.
and buy it they do, even il they have to
deny themselves the nN2essarit.s of life to
nise money enough to get the book.
But arc they not great and insuffer-
able bores,' I asked the clerk. as 7
humbetl a disreputable looking copy of
an old Latin prayer book that bore the
date 1915. The clerk smiled.
"Boresy ! should say not. I do not
,hnk there is q bookseller in this CITY
xho would be hard hearted enough to
discourage q book worm that pays him ~
Professional visit. In fact. they will
gladly put up with the worms quips
and fancies in order to have his trade
Why, know Il bookseller who refused to
yell IN old Bible--onc that was yellow
1th age-just because he saw q worm
boxing at it the day before: and he was
Kht. The worm bought the Bible and
bw is Il regular customer It's q pity.
N, for he spends every cent he can get
NJ books, old books, new books, and
s@ks, books, books seem to be the only
hings he lives for.''
While speaking of book worms In gen.
eral, an old man entered the store. fol-
oNed by younger one. The old man
keked m'ls1y himself and the clerk
whispered:
There is one of the antiquarians-a
genuine worm. That young man is a
worm, too Now, if we approach him
gently, ] think the old gentleman will
give you some tips. He's one of the most
tonlrmed worms I ever saw, and. al
noash he wears shabby clothes, he lives
larry well. He spends fully $1,000 a
year on books, and manages to live on
hom m, $500 to $500. He's genuine
I'm Inc old gentleman was introduced, and
su sslkea freely about his hobby. winding nr
y inviting me to inspect his collection.
t,o M na left, the clerk sai,l: ''Now, you'll see
sw,VV' worth of books. Don't ask too
.ans questions, and when he gets started
sssp qe' and listen to him. He'll tell
you all he knows.''
me old gentleman was Chesterfieldiau
a MS pollteness. and as gallant as thu
"s"'s ,na- No'' read about in the medi.e IL.
ua., lses' ,psown in the elevated t., one
,an ,u'eiea and Twenty fifth streetw vent,
'nu '!'eil 10 One Hundred and nirty.
se',u @ street near Eighth ayenu Here
,ho ha', M,.,e l"t@story building. anlt IS was
ms ns '''k worms home. The old gentle
,ona.l d .s'l"sizel for his ,luti,ly house, and
,ac'"a ea'','eo me to his ''den,' {. room in the
s,s" haon' story. Books and books and
sino :, '',' ever see so many books out.
ps1, ss ., ,,,a,, a book store: What Jolly mid
sn1 sI'' :, lunches the worms and the mice
s,a, m we moths must have among those
.rs' .,"'s time decorated, dust hidden vol
NM Th;m,. ! would live in One Hundred and
ra,'' sr,'; ! second street near Eighth avenu,
As 1ro, j. !, hs'''se. The little Old man looked
lie tn'' n;p, ''p ard as mu>ty as his books
.,vo.s :, h":e were faint lines on thu
see0 sTfsmA:'es ,rl hat looked as il they hai
Was no'. ,''"r'! ~, 'Aere by some hand, which
Dfn,, "'M ~. l'kc tie dust thai covered tho
.anta.,:a 'e lines We're shastly in theil
III MIS- 'n's IS hibl;s .sacr;s LATINA" he said
they n'n nSn,I, PRINTED in Venice, and is wha,
id eTrn''al'y Tn call Monk Latin. 1t is ver,
.a ny he aate says it is over 400 wear.
$ my Inc ned, date is 1885. Look inside. 1
i,,myy wy p prize. You sec the Initials or,
haNr.